UCTS offers courses to upgrade workers in shipbuilding industry

SIBU: University College of Technology Sarawak ( UCTS) is conducting three short courses to upgrade shipbuilding industry workers and prepare them for the Industrial Revolution 4.0 ( IR4.0).

The university, in collaboration with Sibu Shipyard Association ( SSA), Sarawak Skills Development Centre ( PPKS) and Ministry of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development ( MIED), will launch the courses starting mid- October.

UCTS vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid said the fi rst two courses – ‘Ship Stability’ and ‘ Wiring, Ducting and Automation for Shipbuilding Technology’ – will be held at the university’s campus here.

“Both courses will be conducted for three days and the fee for the Ship Stability course is RM2,000 per person. For the Wiring, Ducting and Automation for Shipbuilding Technology course, it is RM1,500 per person,” he said here yesterday.

The third course, titled 6G Welding, will run for 24 days at Awisar Workshop in Demak Laut, Kuching at a date to be announced later. The fee is RM2,000 per person.

Assistant Minister of Industrial

Both courses will be conducted for three days and the fee for the Ship Stability course is RM2,000 per person. For the Wiring, Ducting and Automation for Shipbuilding Technology course, it is RM1,500 per person. Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid, University College of Technology Sarawak vice chancellor

Development Malcolm Mussen Lamoh launched the three courses in a ceremony held at UCTS campus.

According to Khairuddin, UCTS is committed to working with relevant partners to implement and carry out short courses for the shipbuilding industry, particularly in Sarawak.

“The objectives of the courses are to encourage continuous learning among shipbuilding industry workers towards Industrial Revolution ( IR) 4.0 and to elevate the knowledge of industry players,” he said.

Mussen, meanwhile, called on shipbuilders in Sarawak to prepare for IR4.0 in order to remain competitive in a globalised world.

He said they must also connect to the rest of the world so as to expand their markets beyond the border.

Earlier, he called on industry players to heed the call of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to grasp digital advances as well as innovation and apply them in the shipbuilding industry.

“Until now, the vast majority of shipyard manpower is still vigorously relying on manual workmanship and craftsmanship rather than mechanisation or automation.

“While widely accepted by the whole industry, this is not the best approach to go especially in a globalised and digitalised world,” he cautioned.

In view of this, Mussen said the Sarawak government in collaboration with UCTS and PPKS is taking initiatives to conduct such courses to prepare the shipbuilding industry to move towards this direction.

“Hopefully in the future we would see a higher rate of initiatives applied in the shipbuilding and manufacturing industries,” he said.

Also present at the launch ceremony were PPKS executive director Hallman Sabri and SSA president Ngieng Ping Sing.